Functional structure for ‘Operation Kahusay ug Kalinaw’ sought

Councilor Eric Salcedo will prod Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy to establish the functional structure of ‘Operation Kahusay ug Kalinaw’ (OKK) as the city's central tactical operation center.

In a recent meeting presided over by public order and safety committee chair Councilor Roger Abaday, Salcedo said OKK was established in 1985 by then mayor Ambing Magtajas to establish coordinated night patrols among police, barangays, and the civil society to bolster the city’s peace and order.

Salcedo said the rise in petty crimes, community disputes, and youth-related concerns are enough bases for an integrated and community-based approach to public safety.

The OKK seeks to establish a one-stop, quick-response center under the Office of the City Mayor to streamline efforts on public safety, crime prevention, and social services.

Abaday recalled the program’s strong grassroots participation when he was then a barangay captain.

“We joined night patrols with the police. All sectors were represented,” he said, adding that OKK became the ‘psychological symbol of public safety’.

Under the proposal, the center will coordinate with the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department, Roads and Traffic Administration, City Social Welfare and Development Department and other concerned offices and agencies.

RTA officer-in-charge Engr. Nonito Oclarit suggested that roles should be clearly defined within the proposed structure to avoid issues in personnel deputization and the tossing of responsibilities among agencies.

Police Major Ismael Virgil Gundaya of the PNP Regional Office 10 commended the initiative and called for a centralized operations center linked to the 911 emergency system.

He added that the proposal for a functional structure should be complemented with  functional equipment, citing CCTV systems installed in the city’s ingress and egress and drones which would provide 360-degree aerial visual cues as requisites to ensuring real-time monitoring of the situations on the ground. (FDC/SP)